A sole proprietor registers the business name online at DTI's Business Name Registration System (BNRS). The fee depends on the territorial scope you choose: ₱200 for barangay, ₱500 for city or municipality, ₱1,000 for regional and ₱2,000 for national, plus a ₱30 documentary stamp tax. The registration is valid for five years.[1]
How much is the DTI registration fee?
| Territorial scope | Fee | With ₱30 stamp tax |
|---|---|---|
| Barangay | ₱200 | ₱230 |
| City or municipality | ₱500 | ₱530 |
| Regional | ₱1,000 | ₱1,030 |
| National | ₱2,000 | ₱2,030 |
Which scope should you pick?
Territorial scope is the area where your business may locate its offices, stores, shops, branches or plants under the registered name: one barangay, one city or municipality, one region, or national. DTI's rules say scope is not the geographical limit within which you transact business, so a seller with barangay or city scope can still sell and ship to buyers anywhere. Scope is also the main thing that sets the fee.[3,1]
So pick the scope by where your physical places of business are, or will be. A sari-sari store, carinderia, laundry shop or home-based online seller working from one address fits barangay or city scope. Choose regional scope for places of business in more than one city or town in the same region, and national scope for places of business in more than one region. More detail is in DTI territorial scope.
How to register on BNRS, step by step
These steps follow DTI's own BNRS registration guide and FAQ. BNRS accepts GCash, Maya and credit or debit cards, and the fee must be paid within seven calendar days of applying.[2,1]
- Open New RegistrationGo to bnrs.dti.gov.ph, choose New Registration under Business Name Services and accept the terms.
- Enter the owner's detailsFilipino owners apply online. Non-Filipinos, refugees and stateless persons first submit documents at a DTI office.
- Choose the scope and the namePick the territorial scope, type the dominant name and a descriptor (for example "Aling Nena" + "Sari-Sari Store"), then check that it is available. Keep the Reference Code.
- Fill in the address and personal informationUse the address where the business will operate. Review everything, confirm your email address and accept the undertaking.
- Pay within 7 daysPay by GCash, Maya or card. An unpaid application is treated as abandoned after seven calendar days.
- Save your certificateOnce payment is confirmed, the Certificate of Business Name Registration is emailed to you. Print it: the barangay, the city and BIR will ask for it.
Names DTI will not register
BNRS rejects names that are deceptive or misrepresent the business, names made only of generic words, and the names of other persons. Words such as "Corporation" or "Company" are reserved for partnerships and corporations registered with the SEC.[1]
Before you print signs or tarpaulins, search the name on BNRS and also check that no big brand already uses something close to it. A name DTI accepts can still cause trouble if it copies a trademark.
Renewing after five years
The registration lasts five years from the date of registration. You may renew up to 180 calendar days before it expires, or within 90 calendar days after. After that comes a 90-day grace period, and filing in the grace period adds 50% to the fee.[1]
Renewal costs the same as a new registration for the same scope. Example: a city-scope name renewed on time is ₱500 plus the ₱30 stamp tax; renewed in the grace period it is ₱750 plus ₱30.[1]
Before you open BNRS
- Pick your scope by where your store, office or home base is, not where your buyers live
- Have two or three name options ready, each with a descriptor
- Have a valid ID and your business address on hand
- Keep a GCash or Maya balance, or a card, for the fee plus ₱30
- Write down the Reference Code the system gives you
- Print the emailed certificate for your barangay and city application
Outdated advice
Some guides still say the documentary stamp tax on a DTI registration is ₱15.
Now: BNRS adds a ₱30 documentary stamp tax to every registration fee.[1]
Questions people ask
- Is DTI registration enough to open my store?
- No. The DTI certificate only registers the business name. You still need a barangay clearance, a mayor's permit from your city and BIR registration before you open.
- Do I need national scope to sell online nationwide?
- No. DTI's rules tie scope to where your business is located, such as your offices, stores and branches, and say it is not the geographical limit within which you transact business. An online seller working from one home address can register at barangay or city scope and still sell across the country.
- How long is a DTI business name valid?
- Five years from the date of registration, according to BNRS.
- Can I cancel a DTI business name?
- Yes. DTI accepts cancellation requests at selected DTI offices, for example when the business stops operating.
- Do corporations register with DTI?
- No. BNRS registers business names, and it reserves words like "Corporation" for partnerships and corporations registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Those businesses, including One Person Corporations, register with the SEC. See SEC registration.
Sources
Checked 14 November 2026. We link the agency's own page for every requirement. Rules change; confirm with the office before you pay.
- Frequently Asked Questions · DTI Business Name Registration System
- Registration Guide · DTI Business Name Registration System
- Department Administrative Order No. 18-07, Series of 2018 (Revised Rules and Regulations Implementing Act No. 3883, as amended) · Department of Trade and Industry (text on Lawyerly) · 18 September 2018